Inspection apparatus for turning and viewing coins



April 26, 1966 w. 1. CALLAGHAN INSPECTION APPARATUS FOR TURNING AND VIEWING COINS Filed NQV. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. William I Cifieghan.

- ,MM Q J 5 BY LJ Aprll 26, 1966 w. l. CALLAGHAN 3,247,757

' INSPECTION APPARATUS FOR TURNING AND VIEWING COINS Filed Nov. 2, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 11:1: "I 4 g a 12-1,! 14v \fi i \AV/fifi/f INVENTOR. M'lliam I. Gil-1 411 M, flyw hnw cum.

3,247,757 INSPECTION APPARATUS FUR TURNING AND VIEWING COINS William I. (Callaghan, I42 (Corduroy Road, Painesville, Ohio Filed Nov. 2, 1964), Ser. No. 66,775 Claims. (CI. 38-14) The present invention relates in general to viewing apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus for viewing flat objects or discs such as coins.

In the field of numismatics, many rolls of coins must be inspected by collectors and others in order to separate the coins by dates and mintage, and in most instances, it is necessary that both sides of the coin be examined.

United States Patent 0 This is also true of the inspection of many types of flat objects.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to i provide an apparatus whereby both sides of flat objects,

I over fiat objects, such as coins.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for ejecting flat objects which includes a closure member which prevents ejection of the flat object upon passage of the object in one direction and which permits ejection; upon passage of the object in another direction.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for injection and ejection of a flat object, such as a coin, within the confines of a slide mechanism.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for turning coins over which includes pushing the coins up an inclined surface until an edge of the coin engages an obstruction at the base of the inclined surface and then pushing the coin in substantially the opposite direction which causes the coin to turn over.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of this invention may be had by referring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the viewing apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 but show ing parts of the wall of the device broken away to better illustrate the internal construction;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the apparatus with the top -wall removed; and,

FIGURE 4 is a view taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

The viewing apparatus of the present invention may, as discussed hereinabove, be used for inspecting and viewing many different types of flat objects. The description hereinafter given will be limited to use of the apparatus for viewing and inspecting coins; however, it will be appreciated that the device is susceptible of the broader use discussed hereinabove.

The viewing apparatus and specifically the coin viewing apparatus in the present disclosure has been indicated generally by the reference numeral 10 and includes in combination wall means 12 which define a rectangularly shaped enclosure which might otherwise be referred to as a closed box structure. The enclosure which is defined may be said to have first and second end portions '13 and 14, respectively, and the wall means 12 also includes a top wall 17 and a bottom wall 18. The bottom wall 18 may also be referred to as a surface member. A guideway is formed on the bottom wall 18 and extends from the first end portion 13 to-the second end portion 3,247,757 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 114 of the enclosure 12. A shuttle member 29 which has first and second end portions 21 and 22, respectively, is provided and the first end portion 21 thereof resides or is positioned in the guideway and the second end portion 22 extends exteriorly of the enclosure or box member whereby the same may be grasped or manipulated by the operator of the apparatus to move the first end portion of the shuttle member between the first and second end portions of the enclosure.

A viewing lens 25 is positioned in a frame 26 which in turn is mounted in an opening in the top wall 17. The lens 25 is magnifying in nature and enables objects contained in the first end portion 13 of the enclosure to be magnified and viewed by the operator of the device. A feed tube orchute 27 is located at the second end portion I4 of the enclosure and extends vertically through the top wall 17 into the second end portion of the enclosure and terminates just adjacent the upper surface of the shuttle member as at 28. This feed tube is circular in cross section and is of a size which is adequate to receive a particular coin which is to be inspected. It will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that for smaller or larger coins, adequate consideration should be given to enlarging or decreasing the size of the feed tube.

An inclined surface 3t) is positioned at the first end portion 13 of the enclosure at the end of the guideway 15. Wall means 33 define a cross slot in the bottom wall I8 at the base of the inclined surface 30 for a purpose which will be discussed hereinafter. Wall means 36 define a circular opening through the first end portion 21 of the shuttle member 20 and the purpose of this opening 36 is to -register with the feed tube to receive a coin which is contained in the feed chute. Wall means 38 define a longitudinal slot in the first end portion of the shuttle member which extends from the extreme first end, which is at the left viewing FIGURE 3, across the circular opening and toward the second end portion of the shuttle member a predetermined distance. Wall means 41 define an opening in the bottom wall 18 or surface member intermediate the first and second end portions of the enclosure 12. A leaf spring 46 is positioned in the opening 41 and one end 47 of the leaf spring 46 is secured to the bottom wall and the other end portion 48 extends into the enclosure through the longitudinal slot 38 in the shuttle member when the longitudinal slot is in register therewith. In other words, the leaf spring is biased upwardly so that the end portion 48 is always urged to a position slightly above the upper surface of the bottom wall 18. In the position shown in FIGURE 4, the longitudinal slot 38 is to the left and the shuttle proper is in engagement with the leaf spring and maintains the leaf spring in the position shown. When the shuttle member is moved to the right, as seen in FIGURE 4, the end 48 of the leaf spring would be positioned vertically of where it is shown.

Means are provided for illuminating the enclosure so that objects contained therein can be more readily seen by one looking through the viewing lens 25. This means includes first and second batteries 49 and 50 mounted in cradles 51 and 52, respectively. The batteries are connected in series witha light 53 and switch 54 by means of conductors 5558. The enclosure 12 is also pro-.

.end portion 22 of the shuttle member is grasped by the operator of the apparatus and moved to the right from the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, until the openass/p57 ing 36 in the first end portion 21 of the shuttle member is in register with the opening in the feed tube 27. When this occurs, a coin drops into the opening 3. The shuttle member is then moved to the left into the position shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 which positions the coin directly beneath the viewing lens 25 and the switch 54 is actuated to illuminate the bulb 53. The upper side of the coin can then be inspected, as desired, and after this has been done, the coin is turned over by moving the shuttle member 28 to a position left of that shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, which causes the coin to be moved up the inclined surface 36 until the right hand edge of the coin drops into the cross slot 33. The position of the coin at this stage is indicated by the dotdash lines 63 in FIGURE 4. It will be noted that the left end of the longitudinal slot 33 is wide enough to receive the complete width of the inclined surface After the right edge of the coin is caught in the cross slot 33, the shuttle member 26 is then moved to the right which causes the wall means which define the circular opening 36, specifically in the areas 65 and (id, to engage the coin causing it to be flipped or turned over in such fashion that it is again received in the circular opening 36. Since the coin has been turned over, the opposite side can be viewed through the lens 25 as desired. When it is desired to eject the coin, it is only necessary to move the shuttle member to the right of the positions shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 and since the end 43 of the leaf spring 46 is not engaged by the shuttle member, it extends above the surface of the bottom wall 18 and the coin passes directly through the opening 41. The same cycle of operation is repeated in order to view succeeding coins received'from the feed tube 27.

It will thus be seen that an apparatus has been provided .whereas both sides of fiat objects, such as coins, can be conveniently'viewed. The new and economical mechanism which is utilized for viewing both sides of the coin includes the inclined surface for turning the fiat objects over. With the use of the shuttle member, the inclined surface, and the opening 41 in the bottom wall 18 along with the feed tube 27, a novel apparatus for both injecting and ejecting coins has been provided.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred form has been made only by Way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A coin viewing apparatus including in combination wall means defining a rectan-gularly shaped enclosure having first and second end portions and top and bottom walls, a guideway on said bottom wall extending from said first to said second end portion of said enclosure, a shuttle member having first and second end portions, said first end portion of said shuttle member being positioned in said guideway and said second end portion of said shuttle member extending exteriorly of said enclosure whereby same may be manipulated by an operator of :the apparatus to move said first end portion of said shuttle member between said first and second end portions of said enclosure, a viewing lens mounted in said p wall for viewing said first end portion of said en- =-closure, a feed tube having a circular cross section extending vertically through said top wall into said second end portion of said enclosure and terminating adjacent said shuttle member, an inclined surface at said first end portion of said enclosure at the end of said guideway, a cross slot in said bottom wall at the base of said inclined surface, wall means defining a circular opening in said first end portion of said shuttle member for the reception of a coin, wall means defining a slot in said first (end portion of said shuttle member which extends from the extreme first end longitudinally thereof across said circular opening and toward said second end portion of said shuttle member a predetermined distance, wall means defining an opening in said bottom wall intermediate said first and second end portions of said enclosure, a leaf spring secured at one end portion to said bottom wall and having the other end portion thereof extending into said enclosure through said longitudinal slot in said shuttle member when same is in register therewith and adapted to be engaged by a coin to close said bottom wall opening on movement of said shuttle member from said second to said first end portion of said enclosure, means for illuminating said enclosure, movement of said first end portion of said shuttle member to said second end portion of said enclosure causing said circular opening therein to register with said feed tube to receive a coin therefrom, movement of said first end portion of said shuttle member from said second to said first end portion of said enclosure closing said bottom wall opening and moving the coin beneath said viewing lens, further movement pushing the coin up said inclined surface until one edge of the coin drops into said cross slot, movement of said shuttle member in the opposite direction causing said wall means which define said circular opening to engage the coin and turn it over and further movement in this direction causing the coin to drop out of said enclosure through said bottom Wall opening, and legs for raising said apparatus from a surface on which it is located.

i 2. A coin viewing apparatus including in combination ,wall means defining an enclosure having first and second end portions and top and bottom walls, a guideway on said bottom Wall extending from said first to said second end portion of said enclosure, a shuttle member having first and second end portions, said first end portion of said shuttle member being positioned in said guideway and said second end portion of said shuttle member extending exteriorly of said enclosure whereby same may be manipulated by an operator of the apparatus to move said first end portion of said shuttle member between said first and second end portions of said enclosure, a ,viewing lens mounted in said top wall for viewing said first end portion of said enclosure, a feed tube extending vertically through said top wall into said second end portion of said enclosure and terminating adjacent said shuttle member, an inclined surface at said first end portion of said enclosure in line with said guideway, a slot in said bottom wall at the base of said inclined surface, wall means defining a circular opening in said first end portion of said shuttle member for the reception of a coin, wall means defining a slot in said first end portion of said shuttle member which extends from the extreme first end longitudinally thereof across said circular opening and toward said second end portion of said shuttle member a predetermined distance, wall means defining an opening in said bottom wall intermediate said first and second end portions of said enclosure, a leaf spring secured at one end portion to said bottom wall and having the other end portion thereof extending into said enclosure through said slot in said shuttle member when same is in register therewith and adapted to be engaged by a coin to close said bottom wall opening on movement of said shuttle member from said second to said first end portion of said enclosure and means for illuminating sald enclosure.

3. Apparatus for turning fiat objects over including in combination a surface member, an inclined surface located on said surface member, slot means in said surface member at the base of said inclined surface, a shuttle member for moving the fiat objects one at a time along said surface member and up said inclined surface until an edge of the fiat object is engaged in said slot, and wall means on said shuttle member for engagement with the flat objects while positioned on said inclined surface to cause the flat objects to be turned over upon movement of said shuttle member in another direction.

4. Apparatus for turning flat objects over including in combination a surface member, and inclined surface located on said surface member, means at the base of said inclined surface for catching the flat objects, a shuttle member for moving the flat objects along said surface member and up said inclined surface until an edge of the flat object engages said means at the base of said inclined surface, and wall means on said shuttle member for engagement with the flat objects While positioned on said inclined surface to cause the flat objects to be turned over upon movement of said shuttle member in another direction.

5. Apparatus for turning coins over including in combination a surface member, an inclined surface, means at the base of said inclined surface for catching the coins, a shuttle member for holding coins in position on said surface member, said inclined surface and shuttle member being relatively moveable toward each other to move a coin up said inclined surface until an edge of the coin is engaged in said slot means, and Wall means on said shuttle 6 member for engagement with the coin while positioned on said inclined surface to cause the coin to be turned over upon relative movement between said inclined surface and said shuttle member in another direction.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVID H. RUBIN, Primary Examiner.

EMIL G. ANDERSON, JEWELL H, PEDERSEN,

Examiners.

20 WALTER L. WILLIAMSON, JOHN K. CORBIN,

RONALD STERN, Assistant Examiners. 

4. APPARATUS FOR TURNING FLAT OBJECTS OVER INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A SURFACE MEMBER, AND INCLINED SURFACE LOCATED ON SAID SURFACE MEMBER, MEANS AT THE BASE OF SAID INCLINED SURFACE FOR CATCHING THE FLAT OBJECTS, A SHUTTLE MEMBER FOR MOVING THE FLAT OBJECTS ALONG SAID SURFACE MEMBER AND UP SAID INCLINED SURFACE UNTIL AN EDGE OF THE FLAT OBJECT ENGAGES SAID MEANS AT THE BASE OF SAID INCLINED SURFACE, AND WALL MEANS ON SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FLAT OBJECTS WHILE POSITIONED ON SAID INCLINED SURFACE TO CAUSE THE FLAT OBJECTS TO BE TURNED OVER UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID SHUTTLE MEMBER IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. 